


Not the Lone Ranger

by dbw



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-20
Updated: 2009-11-20
Packaged: 2017-10-03 10:37:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbw/pseuds/dbw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally posted August 2002</p>
    </blockquote>





	Not the Lone Ranger

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted August 2002

Jim tilted his head at the telltale creak of the elevator as it slowed to a stop on the third floor. Blair was home early for once. He'd missed his partner's company for the last week while he'd been working late every night at Rainier. Jim glanced at the TV and smiled. His evening was looking up.

"Hey, Jim," Blair called as he breezed into the loft. He dropped his backpack by the door and shrugged out of his coat, hanging it on the rack.

"Hey, yourself Chief. All done grading exams?" Jim watched the lithe form as he moved through the kitchen to open the fridge.

"Yep. Finally. You want a beer?" Without waiting for a reply Blair grabbed two long necks and bumped the door shut with his hip. He popped the tops and wandered into the living room, handing one of the bottles to Jim as he dropped onto the couch next to him. "Whatcha watchin'?"

"One of those nostalgia channels is running a marathon of classic TV westerns. You know, shows like The Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy, The Cisco Kid, Zorro and some others."

"Cool! Hey, I bet you watched all those when you were a kid, huh?"

"Of course. They were a lot more fun than watching things like the Donna Reed Show or Father Knows Best."

Blair chuckled. "I know what you mean. Man, I loved those shows, but you know what my favorite one was? Bat Masterson. Gene Barry was so smooth. I wanted a derby hat and cane in the worst way."

"I can just see you as a miniature Bat, Chief. You probably drove all the little girls wild." Jim grinned. "Wait a minute. You weren't even born when Bat Masterson was on."

Blair shook his head. "Yeah, but it was on in afternoon reruns for a long time, man. Most of those shows were. Hey, I bet I know who you wanted to be."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so." The kid might know him pretty well, but he had a few misconceptions about him that would prejudice his choices.

"Oh, come on, Jim. It's so obvious. Anyone who knows you could guess."

"Care to make a wager?"

"Like what?" Blair narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, I don't know. How about if you're wrong, you have to make dinner for the next two weeks. If you're right, I'll take dinner duty?"

"It's a deal. Only, you have to write the show down on a piece of paper before I make my guess. Not that I don't trust you, but we are talking two weeks here." He smiled slightly.

Jim shrugged and stood up. "It's all right with me." He walked into the kitchen, found a notepad and paper and scribbled on it. He ripped the page off the pad, folded it and returned to the couch. There was no way that Blair was going to guess correctly. "Okay, Chief, it's your turn."

Blair grinned. "Like I said Jim, this is almost too easy. My guess is that you wanted to be the Lone Ranger. I mean, the guy was a mysterious hero who lived apart from society and protected the weak. Am I right?"

Jim smiled broadly. "Not even close, Sandburg." He handed over the piece of paper and watched in amusement as a look of confusion crossed the kid's face.

Blair frowned. "Paladin? Have Gun, Will Travel? You wanted to be a gun fighter?"

"Sorry to disappoint you."

He shook his head. "I never really watched that show, Jim. Tell me what it was about this character that you identified with."

"Well, he was well educated, well dressed, and an epicure, not to mention the fact that he lived in San Francisco. He'd attended West Point and served in the Civil War, but gave up the military after the war was over because he was disillusioned. He had a code of ethics and didn't just take a job for money. In fact, sometimes he went after the people who hired him if he found out they were in the wrong. And then there was his choice of what he called himself. Paladin." Jim's mouth turned up in a half-smile. "I guess it's sort of silly, but I really identified with him when I was a kid."

Blair's smile was soft and his eyes shown with something that Jim couldn't name, but it made a warmth bloom in his chest. "It's not silly, Jim. I can see why you would be drawn to that. In a way, you're a modern day Champion."

Jim ducked his head, slightly embarrassed. "I dunno about that, Chief."

"I do. After all the times you've rescued me, I think I have the right to say it," he said seriously.

"I'll always rescue you, Chief."

"My Paladin." Blair smiled that soft smile again and Jim felt the warmth all the way to his toes.

Yep, his evening was most definitely looking up.


End file.
